Push-button switch.



I. Wl. WLSON.

,PUSH BUTTON swncn.

APPLICATION FILED APR. l, 19|5| I l l 'fjmm Patented May 7,1918.

A TTGR E JAMES IVI. WILSON, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO SPLITDORE ELECTRICAL COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

PUSH-BUTTON SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 1, 191.5.l Serial No. 18,430.

. To allywhom it may concern:

for attaching the base to a Be it known that I, J Aims M. Winsen, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Puslrliutton Switches, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to the design of a switch particularly suited `for out-door use, such as on motorcycles, automobiles, motor-boats and other moving vehicles.

In a switch, for closing an electrical Circuit, that. is exposed to water, dust, dirt, grease, etc., the operative parts that make the electrical contacts must be seeurel y pro tected from these elements which are so apt to causel trouble. t

My irtvention is directed to the design of a switch that incloses all of the working parts in such a manner as to thoroughly-protect them from the sources of trouble mentioned.

In the preferred `form shown, Figure 1 shows a side elevation of my switch, one halt1 being taken in section. Fig. 2 is a top plan view or' the switch base. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2. Fig. t is a plan view of the form of switching element 0perated by the cap -oi Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Fig. f1. Fig. 6 Iis a plan view of the base of the switch, showing a means of attaching the base to the handle bar of a motorcycle. Fig. 7 is a side view of the attaching device of Fig. 6.

Referring now particularly to the various figures in which like nun'ierals refer to corresponding parts, 1 illustrates the base of the switch, in which are molded metal inserts 2 and 3. These inserts are thrcadedto receive screws #t and 5 under the heads of which conducting wires are to be fastened. It will be noted that switch contact 4 is clevated above switch contact 5 for reasons to be explained later. These wires come through the base of the switch through holes 6 and 7 into the compartments 26 and 27 molded inthe base. 8 and 9 are holes passing through the base to receive the means suitable support. I have shown such a means as screws 1() and 11 in Fig. 6 and a support 111 `attached to the base 1 by the screws 1() and 11 and nuts 12 and 13. The support 14 is adapted to be clamped toany supporting member such as the handle bar on a motorcycle by means of a. screw 15 and nut 16. t

tween the circuit contact points 4tand The base 1 has an upward projecting part, smaller in diameter than the bottom of the base and this projecting part isl threaded as at 1T. 1S is a housing member which is shown threaded and is'adapted to fit the thread 17 on the base 1 and when in position preferably comes tiush with the edge of the base. The upper portion of the housing 18 is drawn inward to form a neck 25. The neck 25 et" the housing 1S has an opening 2S in the top. lassing through this opening is a cap member 1). which has a flange 24 extending mitward and down over the neck 25.

Molded within the member 19 is a metal insert 20 which is threaded and adapted to receive the screw 22 which holds the switch member 21 securely in place on the stern portion of the cap 19. The cap is-normally held .in the position shown in Fig. 1 by means of a resilient member' shown as a spiral spring 23, which cncircles the head of the screw 22 and also the yhead of the screw 5, which latter screw is one of the switch contacts, the other switch contact be ing as previously described screw 1.

In the operation of my switch, the cap 19 is pressed downward against the i' .ion o't the resilient member 23, until the head of the screw 22 engages the head of the screw 5. At the vsame time, the switch member 21 comes in contact with the switch contact member 4, thereby closing the circuit be- 5G Suiiicient clearance is allowed between the neck ot' the cap and the edge of the hole 28 to permit a certain amount of play to the cap 19, whereby the switch member 21 will aline itself so that the switch contact members 5 and 22 will come into full engagement, thus eliminating the probability of `a detrimental amount of current passing through the spring 23, that is, any quantity that would be likely to take the temper out of the spring.

It will be observed that the housing 18 makes a weather proof lioint with the base 1 and the cap 19 is so designed and mounted as to cover the opening 2S in the top of the housing and thereby providing a weather prooi. fitting at this point.

Certain alterations in various details of my invention will be apparent to anyone skilled in the art but these are intended to be covered bythe scope of the appended claims. y.

at the top, a cap seated within saidtop portion and having a protecting flange extending over and downward around the reduced portion of the housing, and a switching member carried by said cap and havin a projection substantially equal to the difterence in level of said -switch contacts whereby when said switching member is operated said projection and lower level contact are brought into engagement as the switching member engages the higher level contact for the purpose described.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a switch base, a housing attached thereto to form a weather proof joint, a movable cap mounted in the top of said housing` and having a weather proofing flange extending over the neck of .f said housing, switch contacts on said base, one of said contacts being on a lower level on the base than the other, a switching member carried by said cap and having a projection extending downward therefrom, resilient means extending from said lower level contact to said projection to hold said switching member out of engagement with the switch contacts, said projection con tacting with the lower level contact when the resilient means is put under compression by operation of the switching member whereby a detrimental :current is kept from passing through said resilient means.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base having a housing attached thereto to form a weather proof joint and having an opening in the top thereof, a movable one piece non-adjustable cap mounted within said opening and having a flange extending downward and around the top of said housing, switch contacts arranged on said base at different levels a switching member operated by said cap, a projection on the switching member adapted to engage the contact of lower level when the switching member engages the contact of higher level, as and 'for the purpose described.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base carrying switch contacts, one of said contacts being on a higher level on the base than the other, a housing secured to said base, a movable cap seated within the top of said housing and having a protecting flange extending around the top thereof, a switching member carried by said cap to electrically engage itself with said switch contacts and a resilient member extending from said switching member to the switch contact of the lower level on said base to hold said cap in its normal position.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base carrying switch contacts, one of said contacts being spaced apart radially from, and on a higher level on the base than the other, a housing secured to said base, within the top of said housing and having a protecting flange extending around the top thereof, a flat metallic plate attached to said cap by means having a projecting head, adapted to engage the switch contact of lowerlevel on the base, a spiral spring surrounding said head, and extending downward varound said lower level switch contact and adapted to coperate with the cap to open the switch contacts after the cap has been pushed downward.

. n testimonywhereof, I have signed my signature in |the presence of two witnesses.

i JAMES M. WILSON. In the presence of- M. W. BARRETT, H. B. POOLE.

a movable cap seated 

